Smithtown Launches 6th Annual Pizza Box Top Project

SMITHTOWN, NY — The 6th Annual Pizza Box Top Project has been launched by the Town of Smithtown Horizons Counseling and Education Center and Smithtown Youth Bureau, in conjunction with the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, the town announced.

The youth-led initiative is meant to educate and change adult attitudes on providing or selling alcohol to minors. Seventeen youth volunteers doled out 2,500 prevention stickers to carry-out bags at participating pizzerias.

“This is one of our favorite events because it gives families an opportunity to discuss the importance of preventing underage drinking with the young people in their lives," said Kelly DeVito, youth services coordinator at the Horizons Counseling and Education Center, via news release. "We hope the underage drinking prevention stickers help to open a dialogue within families to discuss this difficult topic."

Pizzerias participating in the campaign include Mema’s in Commack, Branchinelli’s in Hauppauge, Mama’s Brick Oven in Hauppauge, Gino’s in Kings Park, Monte’s in Smithtown, and Buona Sera in Smithtown.

The carry-out bags were branded with colorful prevention stickers which read; “Your Decisions Matter - Preventing underage drinking is everyone’s responsibility.”

Sergeant Carissa Siry from the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force spoke with the volunteers about the Social Host Law, underage drinking, and the dangers of the Internet, prior to this awareness activity. The New York Social Host Law can impose liability on a social host who provides alcohol to a minor, should that minor become intoxicated and cause injury to another person as a result of that intoxication.